


Incacha House

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 22:37:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15277677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Incacha passed 'the way of the shaman' to Blair... but what will he do with that way?





	Incacha House

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 sentinel bingo prompt 'Shaman of the Great City'

Incacha House

by Bluewolf

Blair grinned over at Jim, then glanced around. "Where did... Where did the Chopek go? Did they just take off without saying anything?"

"Well, not exactly," Jim replied. "Even after all the years I've been away... seems that they've still thought of me as 'their' sentinel. But one of them told me I'm no longer the Chopek Sentinel."

"What? After all we just went through?" Blair asked, sounding a little horrified.

"No. It's a little more... looks as if they've finally accepted that I won't be going back. He said now I'm the Sentinel of the Great City."

"Oh. I guess that makes me the Shaman of the Great City, then?"

***

Although he had made a joke of it, Blair actually took the role of shaman that Incacha had given him very seriously.

His primary role was as companion to his sentinel - but a shaman's duty to the tribe went beyond that. The shaman was priest and doctor, psychiatrist, adviser... Blair couldn't help but smile a little ruefully. If he had felt overworked, pushed to exhaustion when he had split his time between Rainier and Jim, as Shaman of the Great City he was going to be pushed past exhaustion if he was to do a proper job.

He saw his role as shaman of Cascade as looking out for anyone who needed help - though Jim's needs obviously had to take precedence, as well as his responsibilities to his students.

And so for quite a while he did nothing, although almost every day he thought about it, about what it was feasible for one man to do.

Who in Cascade most needed help?

The more he thought about it, the more he came back to one answer. The homeless. The ones who, often for no reason but extremely bad luck, found themselves destitute. Oh, some were homeless because all their money went to feed a drug habit - but a lot had simply lost everything because they had lost their jobs. Some were teenagers who, for whatever reason, had been thrown out of their homes - and not all of them even knew why. Blair helped at a shelter a couple of evenings a week, had spoken to some of the people going there in search of a bed - or even just a meal - and had found some of their stories heartbreaking. One sixteen-year-old had been thrown out by his father the day after his mother's funeral, and he had no idea why - the last words spoken to him by his father were, "You're no son of mine!" He had tried going to his paternal grandparents, his mother's family all being dead, and had the door slammed in his face. At least young Harvey had a bed at the shelter and a job (of sorts) keeping the place clean; but he had nothing to look forward to except more of the same.

After the dissertation fiasco, with Rainier no longer taking up any of his time, Blair began to think really seriously about using the hours he had devoted to Rainier to working to help Cascade's vulnerable.

He didn't actually have to work; Naomi's parents had been more than wealthy, and on their deaths in an accident some years previously he (and Naomi) had inherited a lot of money - and although he wasn't wanting it to happen soon, he knew that he was Naomi's sole heir. She might spend her days wandering the world, but she lived frugally and Blair knew that her bank balance was steadily increasing; to all appearances someone who didn't really have two wits to rub together, she was really surprisingly worldly wise in many respects, and there was no way anyone was ever going to con her out of her money.

That kind of rootless existence wasn't Blair's choice, although he, too, lived very frugally. And so he took Simon up on his offer, took firearms training and joined MC as Jim's permanent partner.

***

Blair continued to think about things for a few weeks, then went to see Simon on a day when Jim was in court.

"Problem, Sandburg?" Simon asked.

"Well... " Blair hesitated. "In some ways this is one of those things you'd rather not know about. On the other hand... "

"Go on."

"Every year, the PD runs a weekend designed to raise money for disadvantaged people in the city, right?"

"Yes."

"I'd like to extend that a little."

"Blair, it takes a lot of time and effort to set up those weekends. Yes, they do a lot of good, but some other things suffer."

"I realize that, but... " Blair hesitated. "Simon, remember the problem about a year ago when some Chopek warriors came to Cascade."

Simon looked a little suspicious. "Yes."

"One of them... He was their shaman, and he'd sort of guided Jim while he was stuck in Peru. He was killed... While he was dying, he managed to get to the loft, and he died there."

"I remember that. Jim gave the guys collecting the body a lot of hassle."

"Well, just before he died, Incacha passed the way of the shaman on to me. I thought at first that he was just giving me... well, his blessing to look out for Jim - it was obvious that he and Jim had been quite close. But then I started thinking. A shaman is more than just guide to a sentinel; he has duties to his tribe, though normally he has years as apprentice to an older shaman before he can fulfill those duties. And just before they left, one of the other warriors told Jim he was now the Sentinel of the Great City which, basically made me, as Jim's guide, the Shaman of the Great City."

Simon was shaking his head. "Blair... "

"Yes, I know. I don't have a shaman's training, but it occurs to me that there are things I can do to help at least some of the people in Cascade who need help - and expanding what the PD already does is one way to do that."

"Blair, have you any idea how much money the PD loses from its budget every year getting that 'help the disadvantaged' weekend set up? If it wasn't that it's such good PR - "

"Simon, this wouldn't cost the PD anything. All I'd need from the PD - well, basically this unit - would be a little time from everyone. This would initially be - appear to be - a Major Crime initiative; if some of the other units subsequently wanted to join us that'd be great, but that would be up to them."

"What's in your mind?"

"Basically, an extension of the homeless shelters."

"Are you suggesting opening a new centre - "

"In a way, but it would be a centre with a difference."

"A difference... What does Jim think about this?"

"Well... " Blair hesitated. "I haven't discussed it with him yet. I wanted to get your views first. And I want to try to get Naomi involved if possible. It would give her life direction."

"All right. What exactly are you thinking of doing?"

"Some of the guys in the homeless shelters - especially some of the younger ones - have just never had a chance. My idea is to set up a 'shelter' where they can live, have an actual home, while they get training in some skill. Once they're trained, we help them find a job and accommodation somewhere, and there's then space for someone else. We'd vet everyone, obviously, and not accept anyone into our program who wasn't prepared to work."

"And where is the money coming from for this centre?"

"I'll finance it," Blair said. "Maybe with a bit of help from Naomi, if I can get her interested."

"You...? How?"

"Naomi's parents were very rich. It made sense while I was a student to look as if I was strapped for cash - and actually I was, till they died when I was twenty and left all their money split between Naomi and me. I decided not to make any changes in my lifestyle - come to that, Naomi decided the same. They'd given her a reasonable allowance and once I went to Rainier she gave me part of it. We both lived frugally. The money has been amassing interest for ten years; neither of us has touched more than a little of the interest over that time, so basically we're getting richer every year.

"I've been thinking for a while that I should do something useful with at least some of it, rather than leave it just - well, gathering dust in the bank. This seems as good a use for it as any.

"So I can buy a block of apartments, big enough for maybe two dozen residents, more if they're prepared to double up. Obviously I wouldn't go looking for something that's too expensive but I would be looking for one in a reasonably respectable location. Then I'd want help in selecting possible residents, and finding somewhere that'll employ them. I already know one homeless teenager I'll offer a place to."

"You'll probably need a good lawyer, Chief."

Blair swung around, to find Jim grinning at him from the doorway. "Jim! How much... ?"

"Did I hear? Enough. I came in at 'some of the guys in homeless shelters never had a chance'."

"I'm sorry," Blair muttered. "I never meant to lie to you - "

"You didn't. You always paid your way, you bought some pretty expensive hypoallergenic stuff for me, white noise earplugs... I'd always assumed that Naomi had a fair amount of money, to travel around the way she does, and she wasn't going to leave you short."

"But the warehouse... "

"You were there for your study with Larry, right?"

"Yeah. Even though having him was temporary, almost all the apartments for rent said 'no pets' - and he was counted as a pet. But... "

"Chief, eight-fifty a month wasn't exactly peanuts. Well, not unless you meant eight dollars fifty cents."

Blair grinned.

"Anyway, I think you've got a good idea there, but I do think you need a good lawyer; I'll have a word with Dad, get him to recommend someone, then see about buying someplace.

"Now, Simon - from what I heard, Blair's got a good idea here. Some of the young homeless - it's not their fault they're on the street."

Blair nodded. "The guy I have in mind - his father kicked him out after his mother died, he doesn't actually know why. He was lucky, one of the shelters gave him a bed and a job of sorts - but he's capable of a lot more than a job as a cleaner on less than minimum wage, and I'd like to give him that chance. Even some of the older ones - a firm goes bust, all the workers lose their jobs, if they have a mortgage they can't pay it so they lose their homes... " He looked at Jim. "I'd like to call it 'The Incacha House', something like that. Because he passed the way of the shaman on to me, and the shaman helps the tribe."

"All right," Simon said. He glanced through the window at the bullpen. "I think everyone's here - let's go and put it to them."

They found everyone surprisingly enthusiastic - of course, they all had experience of the PD's annual fund-raiser for the disadvantaged, and they were all happy to have a Major-Crime-specific target to work for.

"We can't do anything till we get a suitable building," Blair reminded them. "But once we do, it'll be all hands to the deck till it's occupied and everyone in it is learning some kind of skill."

"You said you'd like your Mom involved," Simon said.

"Yes - we'll need someone to run the place, and Naomi is perfectly able to do that. Oh, we'll expect the residents to keep their own rooms clean but the rest of the building will need to have at least a few staff. Food... not sure, but having a general kitchen to teach them all some basic cooking skills is probably sensible, and again, Naomi is well able to organize that. We don't have to have a dining room, though we could. We could also have something like a small common room with a television - somewhere they could hang out together if they wanted.

"Doesn't mean that anyone who preferred to have his own television in his room couldn't, just that they could have company if they wanted it."

"You keep saying 'he'," Megan said. "Aren't there some homeless girls too?"

"A few, but there do seem to be more homeless men," Jim said.

"But we could take in girls as well," Blair said.

They spent some time discussing what they could do with the Incacha House before it was end of shift and they all headed for home - apart from Simon, who decided  to have a quick word with Commissioner Norris, and - although he knew the plans would go ahead regardless - get Norris's approval for it as an extension of the annual fund-raiser.

***

Once they were home, Jim and Blair had a quick meal, then both retired with their phones, Jim to contact his father, Blair to try to track down his mother.

William was more enthusiastic about the plans for Incacha House than Jim would have expected, and insisted that he would pay at least part of the costs involved in buying a suitable building and getting everything set up. "And I can have a word with one or two of my business acquaintances," he added, "and see if any of them would be willing to offer some kind of training to a few of your... what would you call them?"

"Just youngsters needing a little help," Jim said. "I'm sure Blair will be grateful. And you can assure them that we'll be vetting our... well, sponsored youngsters pretty thoroughly. They'll all be genuine hard luck cases. Blair mentioned one he'd be sponsoring - his father threw him out immediately after his mother died. Makes me wonder if the 'father' knew or suspected that the boy wasn't his."

"That's possible," William agreed, "but more than tough on the kid. Anyway, I'll contact Henry Simkins tomorrow, and get him to contact you."

"We'll probably be at the PD," Jim said.

"I'll give him that number and your home one as well," William said.

They talked for a few more minutes then hung up.

***

Meanwhile, Blair had managed to track down Naomi at the sixth number he tried.

"Blair? Is everything all right?"

"Yes - but I was wondering if you could help me."

"Help you? What... ?"

So Blair explained what he was planning.

"You'll have to be careful that you don't get any con artists trying to jump onto what you're doing, trying to take advantage."

"The whole of Major Crime will be involved," Blair said. "I doubt any con artist would chance getting involved in something they're endorsing. And Jim would soon identify anyone who wasn't telling the truth about his situation.

"But Naomi, we need someone to take charge of running the house, supervising the kids we hope will take lessons in how to cook... and it occurred to me that you'd be good at that. It's helping the disadvantaged, teaching them skills to let them earn a living. It's not just in third world countries that people have problems, find themselves living on a shoestring through no fault of their own."

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "All right, sweetie, I'll come. What are you doing about somewhere for your waifs to stay?"

"Jim's contacting his father to be put in touch with a good lawyer. We'll take his advice in the first instance. We're looking for someplace in a reasonable area, not too expensive, but a lot will depend on what there is on the market. We might have to settle for somewhere smaller than we'd like, and look to buy a second house a few months down the line. I know we can't help everyone, much though we'd like to. But helping even twenty a year is better than nothing."

***

Henry Simkins, a junior partner in the law firm William patronized, quickly proved his worth. He knew of a medium-sized hotel with fifty rooms that was for sale relatively cheaply, because the owners' widowed son, who lived in New Zealand, was seriously ill, and they were needed to care for his three children - and because of the circumstances the furniture would be included.

Jim and Blair - accompanied by William and Simon - went to see the hotel; they were happy with what they saw, and because of the circumstances unhesitatingly agreed to a price that was $5000 above the asking price, and an entry date of a week in the future. They also agreed to employ the staff who worked there, subject to the personnel involved being happy with the aims of the new owners.

Once the immediate legalities had been seen to, Blair went to the shelter where he volunteered, asking to see Harvey, the teenager he had spoken to.

Harvey recognized him at once. "Hello, sir."

"Hello, Harvey. I've been thinking about that little chat we had a few months ago, and I was wondering... You do have a job here, and a place to stay, but is there anything special you'd like to do?"

Harvey looked at him. "Well... "

"Yes?"

"We had an electrician working here last month - I asked if I could watch what he was doing, and it was really interesting. But it's a four-year apprenticeship, and even though I'd be paid I'm not sure I could afford an apartment and all the costs that would involve... because if I got a job I'd have to leave here."

"What if I were to offer you a year's free accommodation to make a start? And help finding a reasonably priced apartment after that? If you were to save most of what you earned for that year, it would give you some money behind you to help with the running costs of your apartment, and there would always be someone available to give you advice during the remainder of your apprenticeship."

Harvey listened with a half-disbelieving look on his face. "That sounds almost too good to be true."

"Every year, the PD runs a fund-raising weekend to help people who've fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. This year... one department, Major Crime, has decided to organize a permanent 'help' initiative.

"Two rich Cascade citizens have, between them, bought a small hotel which they've signed over to Major Crime. We get entry in a week."

"We?"

"I'm a detective in Major Crime. The idea is that we give homeless teenagers a home for a year - free - and arrange for some kind of apprenticeship for them, then help them find a reasonably-priced apartment. You're not the only teen to find himself homeless through no fault of his own. All we ask is that you do your best to make a success of whatever work you choose, and possibly - when you're older - sponsor one of our youngsters by introducing him to your trade.

"When this was first mooted, I remembered our conversation, and wanted to give you the chance to join us."

"I can't help feeling that I'd be letting Mr. Roscoe, here, down - he's been really good to me. Oh, I know I'm not paid much but this place is totally dependent on donations - "

"Once you get a job, you can always donate something to him on a fairly regular basis... and if you move on, he can give the work you've been doing to someone else who needs help."

"I hadn't thought of that... "

"I'll let you know when Incacha House is open - "

"Incacha House?"

"Yes - that's what we're calling the place. Incacha was a Peruvian shaman - I'll be writing a short account of his life - as far as we know it - that'll be available for anyone living there to read if they're interested. Now I'll go and let Mr. Roscoe know the situation... and see if there's anyone else who comes here that he'd like to recommend for our project."

***

Naomi arrived two days later.

She had obviously been doing some serious thinking about the situation, and suggested that she put an amount of money equal to what Blair had already paid out into a fund for the upkeep of Incacha House.

So Blair, Naomi, William and Henry Simkins met up and had a discussion about that. Blair and William had already realized that they would need a permanent income from somewhere, but both had been prepared to provide that income. Naomi's proposal made a great deal of sense; and so all three provided money for that fund, which Henry set up.

Inside the week, the personnel of Major Crime came up with thirty names - twenty-four teenage boys and six girls. Jim had spoken to them all, and confirmed that all were telling the truth about either having been thrown out of their homes or run away from a situation of abuse.

Most of the staff chose to stay on, at least for the time being. All of them appreciated the aims of Incacha House.

It didn't take long for the rest of the rooms to be occupied.

Things went well. Naomi discovered that what she had originally planned as a short stop to help Blair was surprisingly rewarding and happily extended her stay, finding that the settled life she had previously eschewed was remarkably pleasant. The various business owners who had, sometimes with a degree of doubt, agreed to give apprenticeships to the teenagers from Incacha House, soon discovered that all those apprentices appreciated the chance they were getting and were hard workers. Most of the first fifty moved into reasonably-priced apartments found for them by the men and women running Incacha House - one or two, including Blair's first 'find' stayed on by invitation to help the new youngsters moving in to find their feet.

And after the first two or three years, Blair was satisfied that he was indeed using Incacha's 'gift' to him. He (and Jim) spent a lot of their free time advising the youngsters, and in quite a few cases reassuring them that whatever had gone wrong in their families, it hadn't been their fault. Harvey had finally told Blair what his father's last words to him had been - 'You're no son of mine' and said, his voice shaking, "Does that literally mean I wasn't his son? That my actual father was someone else?"

"It's possible, I'm afraid," Blair told him. "A blood test could prove it, one way or the other, but how do we get a blood test from him? How did he behave towards you before your mother died?"

"He seemed to be fond enough of me. But after he threw me out, my grandparents - his parents - didn't want to know me either, and I'd never seen any sign that they didn't love me."

"What was your address?" Blair asked.

Harvey looked at him, a question in his eyes.

Blair grinned. "I'm your sponsor. Detective Ellison and I can go to see him. Ask him why he threw you out. And if he insists that 'you're no son of his' we can ask if he'll give us a blood sample to prove it. Of course, that always supposes that he hasn't moved."

"I have to admit... I'd like to know for certain."

But when Jim and Blair went to the address, it was to find that the owners had only lived there for two years, and they had no idea where the previous owner had gone. They tried the grandparents' address, but they, too, had moved.

"So basically I have no relatives?" Harvey asked when they told him.

"A lot of people don't have relatives," Jim said. "I have a father and brother, and one cousin - and that's it. I didn't speak to my father or brother for years - long story - and because of where he lived I hardly ever saw my cousin. Basically, then, for years I lived without relatives. And then I met Blair... and not only did he persuade me to get back in touch with my father and brother, he became my brother from choice."

"Somewhere... You've maybe not met him yet, but somewhere there's a brother-from-choice for you," Blair said quietly. "And Harvey - it's a very rewarding relationship."

Harvey looked from Blair to Jim and back again. "I'm... I'm pretty friendly with one of the other apprentices - he's a little younger, just started this year... while I'm close to finishing, but Mr. Gryson has promised me a job - and Joey and I seem to share a lot of interests... "

Blair smiled, knowing - because he had spoken to the man several times - that Gryson was more than pleased with Harvey's work. "That's good," he said, "on two counts - a boss who's pleased with your work and someone who looks like being a very good friend. And you've been doing good work at Incacha House, helping us get some very unhappy boys settled in and looking more positively at life than they were.

"The man you called 'father' has dropped out of your life; but Harvey, do you really need him? In the last three and a bit years, you've made a success of your life. Yes, you've had some help, but a great deal of it has been your own work. I'm proud of you."

"We all are," Jim added.

"Thank you," Harvey murmured, "but I don't forget that I owe everything to you. To Incacha House. And - well - to Incacha, through what you all are doing in his name."

***

Back at the loft, as they settled for the evening, Jim said, "Harvey is right; we're doing a lot in Incacha's name, but so much of it comes down to you, and what you do without fanfare as the Shaman of the Great City."

Blair shook his head. "I still couldn't do it without all the help I get from you and everyone else."


End file.
